Boston United Squad 2013/14

Management and Support Staff

JOHN BLACKWELLGeneral Manager

Born: KirtonNow lives: Boston

John Blackwell has been involved with the club for many years, helping with
the coaching and running the reserve team in the seventies, as Club Secretary
from 1978 onwards and as General Manager since 1998. He has even been on the
substitute's bench three time for the Pilgrims. He was a member of the
Vauxhall Conference Management Committee for nine years and the Unibond
League Management Commitee for five years. As a youngster he started off as
a goalkeeper with Tower Road School and Kitwood Boys School. He played in
successive Pitcher Cup final victories for Kitwood, the first as a keeper
against George Farmer, the second as a striker against Sleaford. His prowess
at junior level won him a trial with Peterborough United, but he decided to
play locally, first with Boston Athletic, then Real Towell. His biggest
disappointment is that he was not good enough to play
football at a top level. The match he most remembers is the FA Trophy
semi-final against Altrincham at York Street back in 1985. In his leisure
time he enjoys watching sport on TV, reading the Saturday evening football
papers and being with his family.

Dennis Greene was appointed manager in March 2013 after previous incumbent Graham Drury's
Boston side had won only two out of thirteen games and brought the club perilously close
to the relegation zone. Boston's fortunes soon improved and they avoided the drop and subsequently
Greene was offered a contract for the following season. Greene had previously been manager of
St Neots, Histon, Hemel Hempstead Town, Ware, Chesham, Maidenhead and Windsor & Eton.
In his playing career Greene was a prolific centre-forward and had played
for Wycombe Wanderers where he was snapped up for £15,000 by Martin O'Neill to replace Mickey
Nuttell who had moved back to Boston. He went to sign for Dagenham & Redbridge rather than turn
full-time with Wycombe. He also played for Harlow Town, Finnish side FC Haka - who he played
for in the European Cup Winners' Cup, Chelmsford City, Bishop's Stortford and Windsor & Eton.
At Wycombe he was part of the side that won the Conference and FA Trophy double in 1992/3 and
also played his part in Wanderers' promotion from Division Three via the play-offs the very
next season. His twin brother Dave was also a centre-forward and had a stint in management
with Harlow Town.

Rene Steer began his footballing career with the Arsenal Academy - joining the club at age 13.
He made 23 appearances for their reserve side and 11 apearances for the Under 18 team and
signed a professional contract with the club in September 2007. He was loaned out to Gillingham
for four months in January 2009 but was released by Arsenal following the end of his loan
period. He then signed up with Oldham Athletic but he received an injury in a training
session that required surgery to his jaw to fix serious damage to his teeth. He was released
at the end of the season and signed up with Staines Town. He soon moved on to Woking but
a further injury kept him out for much of the season. He then joined St Neots Town. He
signed up with Boston in October 2013 only weeks after scoring a stunning long range goal
for St. Neots in their FA Cup match against Canvey Island.

CONOR MARSHALLDefender

Born: SkegnessPrevious clubs: Grimsby Town, Brigg Town.

Teenager Conor Marshall signed up with Boston United in January 2012 from Evo-Stik Division One side Brigg Town.
He had previously been in the youth team at Grimsby Town but was released before gaining a professional contract.

LIAM MARRS b. 15/12/1992 Defender

Born: CramlingtonPrevious clubs: Sunderland

Liam Marrs joined the Pilgrims on loan from Sunderland in November 2013. After
impressing in early games his loan period was extended but he soon picked up a
serious knee injury which required surgery and ruled him out for the rest of
the season.

STEFAN GALINSKI b. 4/4/1994 Defender

Born:Previous clubs: Derby County, Corby Town.

Polish youth international Stefan Galinski signed up with Boston United in the summer of 2013 after
appearing in three pre-season friendlies for the Pilgrims. The former Derby County trainee had
also had a loan spell with Corby Town in 2012/13.

Defender Scott Garner joined Boston United in a long term loan deal from
Cambridge United in July 2013. he began his career at Leicester City but was loaned out to Ilkeston
Town before signing for Mansfield Town on a free transfer in January 2009. At the age of 19 he captained
the Mansfield side in a 2-0 win over Altrincham and also scored the opening goal. He signed for Grimsby
Town in July 2010 but after failing to make an impact was loaned out to Alfreton Town. He was soon recalled
to rimsby but in April 2012 was released by the club. In June 2012 he chose to sign a two year deal
with Cambridge United butafter stuggling to hold down a first team place he joined Lincoln City on
a two month loan deal in October 2012. He captained the England C side in a match against Hungary
in 2009.

Defender Carl Piergianni signed for the Pilgrims in the summer of 2013 from Corby Town. He had begun his
footballing career with Peterborough United, working his way through the youth team to the first team
where he made one appearance in a League match against Rochdale. He was then loaned out to Altrincham
and later signed for Stockport County on a free transfer. After a season with Stockport he could not
agree terms for a further season and he then joined Corby Town on non-contract terms.

ZAK MILLS b. 29/5/1992 Defender

Born:Previous clubs: Histon.

Versatile defender Zak Mills signed up with Boston United in March 2014 from Histon after
turning out over 100 times for the Cambridgeshire club. He was with the Boston United
Centre of Excellence in the mid 2000s.

BEN MILNES b. 12/9/1991 Midfield

Born: ?Previous clubs: Leicester City.

Ben Milnes signed up with Boston United in July 2011 from Leicester City's youth side. He soon became a regular in United's first team.

Midfielder Ian Ross rejoined Boston United in November 2011 from Harrogate Town. Ross
had previously played for the Pilgrims in a loan spell from Sheffield United at the end
of August 2005. Ross had scored the goal that knocked
the Pilgrims out of the Carling Cup a few days earlier.
The Carling Cup match against Boston was his first team debut. He joined the
Blades at the age of 12 and went through their Academy. He signed up as a
trainee with them in July 2003. After returning to the Blades he had further loan spells
with Bury, Notts County and Rotherham United before dropping into non-league football with
Gainsborough Trinity and Alfreton Town.

JAY DOWIE b. 28/12/1991 Midfield

Born: ?Previous clubs: Histon.

Jay Dowie joined the Pilgrims from Histon in March 2014. he had played under
Boston United boss Dennis Greene during his time in charge at Histon, making
almost 100 appearances.

Jamie McGhee is a product of Mansfield Town's youth academy. He made his first-team debut for the Stags near the end of the 2006-07 season, appearing as a substitute in two League Two games that season. After being released he had a season with Corby Town before
signing up with Grantham Town. He joined the Pilgrims in January 2014

Marc Newsham joined Boston United in June 2009 after helping Ilkeston Town achieve promotion
to the Blue Square North. He started his footballing career with Rotherham United playing
alongside current fellow Boston United striker Jamie Yates and manager Paul Hurst. He had
loan spells with Sheffield FC and Gainsborough Trinity whilst at Rotherham.

Striker Ben Fairclough joined Boston United in September 2011 from Eastwood Town.
He had started his footballing career with Nottingham Forest, but never made the first
team before tranferring to Notts County. He had a brief loan spell with Ilkeston Town
before joining Hinckley United in 2010.
He is the cousin of former Boston United defender Jordan Fairclough.

Ricky Miller originally joined Boston United from Spalding United in March 2009 after scoring 17
goals for the Tulips in the season. He started his footballing career playing for
Stamford's midweek youth team before brief spells with Rothwell Town, Corby Town,
Hitchin Town and then Spalding. He scored a hat-trick in his second start for the
Pilgrims but was released at the end of the season having scored six goals in 12
appearances. He went on to play for Stamford AFC, Cambridge City, Aylesbury FC, Wealdstone,
Hemel Hempstead Town, Corby Town, St Ives Town and Arlesey Town before re-signing
for the Pilgrims in June 2013.

Striker Spencer Weir-Daley joined Boston United in October 2009 after briefly turning out
for Ilkeston Town. He had started his footballing career with the Academy at Nottingham
Forest and he scored on his first team debut for Forest against Gillingham in August 2005.
However he only made eleven starts for Forest - scoring twice - before moving on to Notts
County in 2007. He has also had loan spells with Macclesfield Town, Lincoln City and Bradford
City. He left Boston in the summer of 2011 and signed up with AFC Telford United but returned
to Boston in January 2012 after a brief loan spell with Buxton.

CHARLEY SANDERS b. ? Forward

Born: ?Previous clubs: Spalding United, King's Lynn

Charley Sanders is a product of the club's Centre of Excellence, youth team and reserves. Had a loan spell with King's Lynn at the end of the 2013/14 season.

No longer with the club

Peter Bore signed up with Boston United on a free transfer in June 2013 after being released by Gateshead at the end of the
2012/3 season. He had begun his footballing career as a trainee with Grimsby Town and had made his first team debut coming on as
a substitute against Boston United at Blundell Park in August 2006
- scoring two goals to help the Mariners overturn a two goal deficit. He had a short loan spell with York in 2008, but returned to
Grimsby and won the "Player of the Year" accolade in 2009/10. He was released in May 2011 and he then joined Harrogate Town. He had
a year with Lincoln after signing a contract with them in January 2012, but he struggled to hold down a first team place so he
moved on to Gateshead after leaving Lincoln by mutual consent.

Former Manchester City trainee Ashley Timms joined Boston United as first choice keeper in
May 2013. He was signed from Hinckley United and had impressed Boston's manager Dennis Greene
in the Pilgrim's 4-2 victory at the end of the season. He has been a controversial character
off the pitch - having twice been jailed, firstly for attempting to bribe a Premier League
fotballer for £15,000 after filming him having sex and secondly for playing a part in an
international banking scam with Nigerian links. He is now looking to rebuild his footballing
career with Boston and put his chequered past behind him.